Summer was winding down, the stores beginning to sell school supplies and the teachers were readying themselves for the start of a new term. Unfortunately, this meant that Savannah and Adri's time together was short, and thus when one of Savannah's neighbors asked her to babysit their eight month old daughter she hesitated, hedged on the fence. She wanted to, wanted to prove that she was responsible enough to handle such a task, but also didn't want to miss any time she could spend with her girlfriend before they had to hide who they were, what they were. Ultimately, it was Adrianna who made the decision for her.

"Just go, you'll enjoy it," Adri argued, sick of seeing her girlfriend worry about such a trivial thing.

"I can't," Savannah responded, shaking her head and making her tag flash in the low light of the room. She never took the collar off except to shower, and Adri would admit with little persuasion how thrilled she was that she had a physical claim to the girl. "It's only a few days until we have to start hiding who we are and I don't want to miss a second that I can share with you." She growled in frustration, the sound distinctly animalistic, before beginning to pace. "But I really do wanna do it! Lexi is so cute and sweet and if I can watch her for a few hours maybe I'll be able to do it part time during school? Ugh I just don't know!"

She began pacing faster, her form beginning to flicker around the edges as a result of her anxiety. Adri watched her for a few minutes, sharp eyes following her frantic movements with ease before she'd had enough. She stood, blocking her path and causing shocked ice flecks to snap up to her face. She put her hands on her shoulders, forcing her to still completely.

"Savannah, you want to do this, right?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"Then you're going to do it."

"But I also want to spend time with you!" she nearly whined, aggravation more than obvious.

Adri smirked, finding the childish behavior endearing.

"Just tell them you'll do it, and don't worry about anything else. Promise me you'll go."

"But-"

"Promise."

"I promise," Savannah responded, though it was sulky and annoyed.

Inwardly rolling her eyes, Adri decided she'd had enough of the moody teenager her girlfriend was being at the moment, and leaned in and kissed her. It was fairly quick as far as kisses went, but she felt Savannah practically melt against her and the tension leave her frame. She pulled back, pleased to see the brunette had relaxed and seemed calmer.

"Are you done?" she asked, amusement flooding her tone.

The girl had the decency to blush, her eyes dropping in her embarrassment.

"Yeah," she murmured.

Adri beamed, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. Savannah's eyes came back up to meet her own, though this time there was a question in her gaze. The older woman simply shrugged.

"You're cute when you're moody," was all she offered by way of explanation before walking away. The brunette stood dumbfounded for a few seconds before the woman's voice floated back to her. "Don't forget to make that call!"

Snapping out of it, she headed to the kitchen to do just that, a peace finally settling over her and in her heart.

August twenty-sixth was a beautiful day. Neither gave a fuck.

The beginning of the last week before school started, Adri and Savannah were unable to see each other due to various things, including back to school shopping and teacher workdays. Neither were very happy with the arrangement, but accepted that it had to be done, not only to keep their relationship undercover but to prepare for the coming year wherein they wouldn't be able to see each other frequently. That didn't mean either was over the moon about it. In fact, by the time Savannah was scheduled to babysit they hadn't seen each other in three days. That, added to the separation anxiety made her more nervous than normal, so any joy she would have gained was overshadowed.

Nonetheless she headed over to the Abbott's house at six o'clock sharp as promised, pushing her nerves to the back of her mind. The parents greeted her warmly, giving her a list of numbers and instructions to call them should anything happen. They left in a flurry of excitement, pleased for the chance to have night to themselves. She closed the door after them, taking a deep breath and walking into the other room where the child was in her bouncer. As she moved she ran her eyes down the list of contacts and emergency numbers, her eyes catching one that seemed vaguely familiar. About that time Lexi began to wail, causing her focus to shift immediately.

She quickly crossed to the bouncer, carefully scooping the child out and cradling her as she had been shown.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" she cooed in a slightly higher pitched baby voice.

The baby continued to wail, her little face growing redder by the second. Keeping calm, Savannah shifted her hold so that she could pull away the small sunshine yellow pants the child wore to check her diaper. It was dry and clean, no sign of an accident, for which Savannah was relieved. Lexi's screams continued, beginning to rise in pitch, and the teenager winced, the sound grating on her ears due to her advanced hearing.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, though she knew the kid had just been fed a mere hour before. Regardless, she headed into the kitchen, bouncing the little girl on her hip as she pulled out some milk from the fridge and warmed it up. "Almost done, yes it is." she said, though she doubted the baby could hear her over her own screams.

She pulled the bottle out of the microwave in relief when it beeped, quickly squirting a few drops on her wrist to double check the temperature. Pleased that it was fine, she attempted to feed the child, only for her to turn her head and continue wailing. She repeated the action, this time getting the bottle knocked out of her hand for her effort. Beginning to panic, she picked it up and cleaned off the nipple, trying again and hoping she would be receptive the third time.

She had no such luck, as the bottle was once again swatted from her grasp, though this time the lid somehow came off, coating them both in a shower of milk. Savannah froze in shock for a split second, and even Lexi quieted, before resuming her crying at an impossibly louder volume. Feeling like crying herself, Savannah grabbed some paper towels and cleaned the quickly drying liquid off the little girl's face and out of her blond curls. She then began walking the length of the house and humming, remembering from somewhere that motion often helped calm fussy babies. After about ten minutes it became obvious that Lexi was not one of the aforementioned children.

By now her face looked like a little tomato, and she had a mixture of tears and snot running down her face, despite the brunette's best efforts to clean her up. Hiccups soon developed, and the sound was so pitiful it broke Savannah's heart. Tears welling in her own eyes at her ineptitude, she picked up the phone and called the only person she could think of that would help her.

…..

Adri, thankfully, found herself mostly prepared for the incoming freshmen she was going to be dealing with in the coming year. She had already planned out the seating chart, begun familiarizing herself with their names, and was attempting to plot out her first week's lessons when the phone rang. Stretching and wincing when her back protested, she answered the phone, pulling the receiver away from her ear when the screams of an infant answered her.

"Hello? Who is this?" she repeated, unable to hear a response for the crying.

"Adri, it's me. Please help!" the voice on the line begged, and her emerald eyes widened as she recognized Savannah's voice.

"Savannah? What's wrong? Why is there screaming?"

"It's Lexi, please come help me! I've been here forty-five minutes and I can't make her stop crying!"

Hearing the fear and tears in her girlfriend's voice, she said the only thing she could.

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"Thank you!" Savannah gushed, beyond relieved.

Smiling, Adri ended the call, glancing at her unfinished work and flicking off the light before grabbing her purse and heading out the door.

…..

When Savannah answered the door, Adri was unsurprised to note the frazzled look about her and the pure terror in her eyes. She was, however, shocked to see both females were wet and smelled of milk. She calmly dropped her purse on the entrance table as her girlfriend described everything she'd tried so far to calm the baby, remaining eerily calm even though the screeching was hurting her ears just as much as it was Savannah's. When the girl finished her explanation with a "thank you so much I just don't know what to do", she reached over and calmly plucked the child out of her arms, settling her against her chest and rocking her gently.

Savannah watched, entranced, as Lexi slowly calmed, her cries turning into sniffles before her puffy hazel eyes locked onto her girlfriend's face. Adri smiled at the baby and began cooing to her in Romanian, never stopping rocking her.

"Hush, puțin unul. E în regulă, e în regulă. Te-am prins. Asta e, calmează-te." Savannah herself felt soothed by the sound, and judging by the baby's even breathing and silence she did, too. Satisfied that Lexi wouldn't instantly begin wailing the moment she sat her down, Adri turned to Savannah, blushing when she saw the adoring look she was being given. "What?" she asked, unconsciously shifting the baby.

"Nothing," Savannah replied, her eyes never leaving the child in the woman's arms. "Nothing."

Adri narrowed her eyes slightly, not entirely convinced.

"Where's the nursery? She really should be changed into some clean clothes."

Ignoring the urge to facepalm at her own stupidity, the brunette led her to the back of the house and into a pale purple bedroom. She leaned against the wall as she watched her girlfriend pick a new outfit for the child, a small grin making its way onto her face as the redhead brought peals of laughter out of the baby by blowing raspberries on her tummy. Adri practically glowed with happiness as she cradled the baby, and Savannah wouldn't deny she looked good with the girl. It suited her somehow, and she wondered if one day she'd be open to having children.

She shut down her train of thought as Adri picked up the baby and turned, still emanating pure happiness. She walked with her into the living room, where Adri insisted that she hold Lexi once again. Nervously, she did as she was told, her muscles tensing as the baby began to whimper. The woman came up behind her, holding her from behind and showing her how to subtly change the position she was using.

"It's because you're nervous. She can sense your fear and she's reacting to it," Adri breathed in her ear, propping her chin on her left shoulder so she could look at the baby. "Just relax. Once you're comfortable holding her she'll calm down."

She tried, she really did, to listen to her girlfriend, but she just couldn't. What if she dropped her? Adri noticed and stepped around to face her, cat-like eyes locking on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"What if I drop her?" Savannah whispered, her eyes never leaving the baby, who to give her credit, had yet to start screaming.

"You won't drop her," Adri said firmly, reaching out and gripping her arm.

"But-"

"You'll be fine. Besides, I'm here if you need any help."

Savannah smiled for the first time all night, a weight lifting off her shoulders. As soon as she relaxed Lexi did too, grinning and smiling, though before long she was reaching out for Adri to hold her. The brunette handed her over, wary of setting off another series of screams. Adri took her, the happy glow returning. They settled on the couch, Adri cooing to and playing with the baby, and Savannah pretending to watch tv. In reality she watched the woman, who was probably the most relaxed outside of her own home she had ever seen her.

She shook a stuffed toy at the baby that had a little bell in it, drawing a peal of laughter from the little girl. Adri laughed too, the sound gentler than usual but no less genuine. A smile was constantly on her face, lighting up her eyes and allowing the girl to see the faint laugh lines by her mouth. Holding the child, she was even more stunning than usual.

Adri looked up and caught Savannah staring, but she didn't question her. She assumed it was because the sight of her with an infant was so unusual, but she would admit she enjoyed it. Savannah did have the decency to look away, absentmindedly flipping through the channels as a distraction. She couldn't help the little pangs of jealousy that shot through her as she continued to shoot glances at the redhead and blonde, noticing how the child was pressed against Adri's chest, and immediately felt stupid. She could feel her girlfriend's gaze on her every so often, and knew that once Lexi had put down for the night they were going to have a very embarrassing talk.

Ethan was nearly jumping for joy. Tonight was the night, he could feel it. His senses were telling him his friends would be in the town limits before midnight, and then he could set his plan into motion. What made it even better was that Savannah had taken that babysitting job and wouldn't be anywhere near the blood sucker, giving him yet another advantage beyond greater numbers. He practically skipped home, which did admittedly garner him some confused glances, but he didn't care.

Marissa kept a wide berth from him, sensing something was going to happen. She tried asking him about it a few times, but ultimately lost her nerve each time his slightly psychotic gaze met her own. She loved her husband, she really did, but she sincerely hoped that he would change his mind about whatever he was planning. She was so tense that the ringing of the phone made her jump, and Ethan's mad dash to answer it only made her more skeptical that he "wasn't up to anything" and that he and his friends "were just getting together for some drinks and a night out". She sighed as she heard him answer, pushing away the majority of her dinner, having lost her appetite.

"Hello?" Ethan said, his wary and guarded tone giving way to one of pure joy and excitement. "Excellent! Alright, here's the plan: we'll meet at the corner of Delaware Boulevard, just outside of her house. From there, we wait until she heads out for her nightly killing spree, and then we ambush her." There was a pause, in which he grew incredibly irritated. "Of course we'll win! It's five against one, not even she can walk away from that.

No, Savannah will not be anywhere near her. She took a babysitting job for the night and shouldn't be alerted of anything if we move quickly enough. Exactly. I'll see you at nine o'clock then, don't be late."

The conversation, hushed though it was, floated into the dining room, and as Marissa heard her husband outlining his plans for the evening her face flushed. She hoped her baby girl knew what she was doing.

It hadn't been long after they'd settled on the couch that Lexi grew fussy, though this was more from a dirty diaper than colic. Adri had calmly carried her into the nursery, Savannah trailing behind, and changed her diaper before putting the then yawning child into her onesie and requesting a bottle. Savannah had rushed to ready one, double checking the lid before handing it over. The redhead had accepted it calmly, and to the girl's immense annoyance convinced Lexi to take it without so much as a whimper.

She watched her girlfriend feed her, noting the way Lexi stared into her eyes the entire time. It almost felt like she was intruding, the moment was so intense, but it was also strangely beautiful so that she found herself unable to look away. She soon found that to a child nearly a year old six ounces was nothing, and before long Adri was gently tapping her back to burp her. That done, she sat back down in the rocking chair, at first humming and then singing in a hauntingly alluring voice. At that point Savannah was unsure if the woman remembered she was also in the room, but she didn't mind, far too entranced with her apparently hidden talent to care.

"Lavandă lui albastru, dilly dilly,verde lavandă lui," Adri began slowly, and Savannah immediately realized the song was in Romanian. "Atunci când ești rege, dilly dilly, Voi fi regina. Cine ți-a spus acest lucru, dilly dilly, cine ți-a spus asta? Twas propria mea inimă, dilly dilly, asta mi-a spus acest lucru." She took a breath, and Savannah found herself leaning forward in anticipation. "Apelați prietenii, dilly, dilly, setați-le să lucreze.

Unele plug, dilly dilly, unele la furcă. La unele fân, dilly dilly, unele treiera de porumb În timp ce tu și cu mine, dilly dilly, păstrați-ne cald. Lavandă lui albastru, dilly dilly, verde lavandă lui. Atunci când ești rege, dilly,dilly, Voi fi regina. Cine ți-a spus acest lucru, dilly dilly, cine ți-a spus asta? Twas propria mea inimă, dilly dilly, asta mi-a spus asta."

As the song ended and the last notes hung in the room Savannah had to forcibly close her mouth, the shock of what had just happened leaving her immobile. As she collected her wits, Adri stood carefully and placed Lexi into her crib, backing away quietly and dragging Savannah out by the hand as she went, making sure to grab the second baby monitor on the way. She sat them both back on the couch, placing the baby monitor on the coffee table, before turning to the still stunned brunette and raising an eyebrow.

"So, are you going to tell me why you've been staring?" she asked.

Savannah snapped out of it, a blush rising on her cheeks for what felt like the millionth time that night.

"It's nothing," she murmured, unwilling to admit to her jealousy.

"I know you probably weren't expecting me to be able to handle the baby, but despite the popular opinion of my students I'm not a frigid bitch," Adri said, her tone jagged and radiating hurt.

"What? No! I know that, I was just surprised at how good you were with her. And...you were beautiful."

The woman drew back in shock, the response not the one she had expected.

"I...what?" was all she managed to stutter out.

"When you were holding her you glowed. You were happy, relaxed, softer, gorgeous, and I loved it. That's why I couldn't look away." She paused, averting her eyes, her blush darkening and spreading down her chest. "And I was jealous," she muttered, and had Adri not had heightened hearing she would have missed it entirely.

She blinked, her mind taking a moment to process the statement before she burst out laughing. Savannah huffed, crossing her arms and sulking.

"You were jealous of an infant?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Maybe," the girl mumbled, the tone petulant.

Adrianna lost it again, laughing until her ribs hurt and tears made their way down her cheeks.

"W-why?" she gasped out, trying to calm down. The brunette said something, but it was so quiet she couldn't make it out. "What?"

"I said it was because she got to touch your boobs!" Savannah nearly yelled, successfully sending her girlfriend into another round of giggles.

The sound sent her back to brooding, and when Adri finally regained complete control of herself she felt slightly guilty for upsetting the girl.

"Oh darling, I'm sorry. But you have to admit, being jealous of a baby is a little bit funny." Savannah didn't respond, and she began to feel a bit guilty. She slid over, hugging her, secretly pleased that not only did she feel comfortable showing her affection now, but that the girl found her so attractive. "I really am sorry," she apologized again, missing the softening of the brunette's features.

Savannah wrapped her arms around the redhead, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Nah, you're right, it was silly. But come on Adri, I told you you're fucking hot. How do you expect me not to be just a little jealous?"

Grinning, Adri lifted her head and kissed her, before pulling back and stealing the remote, though she didn't move from the position at her side. She flicked through the channels until she came across what appeared to be an interesting movie, and they settled in to watch, Savannah content to spend time with the woman she had missed so deeply.

…..

The night carried on smoothly, Lexi only waking once, and Savannah actually managed to deal with it and not screw up, of which she was incredibly proud. They'd finished their movie around eight-forty-five, and it wasn't long after that the Abbotts arrived back home. Initially, Savannah had paled considerably at the thought of them coming home and finding her there with her girlfriend of all people, though she was more concerned with them wondering why she was there than them figuring out what was going on between them. Adri worried momentarily that the girl would faint if the chalkiness of her skin was anything to go by, but then she exploded into a frenzied explanation and apology that made her bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

Knowing of the fear the younger woman harbored about watching the child, she'd called the Abbott's, who she knew in passing, and informed them of the situation. They'd understood, and in leaving out minute (or not so small) details, she'd convinced them that she was somewhat of a mentor to the girl. She may or may not have also mentioned that she was quite gifted with children, babies in particular, to seal the deal. And an enchantment was most certainly not involved, definitely not. (It was).

"Dear, we know all about Mrs. Jeepers," Mrs. Abbott said in what she thought was a soothing manner, but all it did was cause the girl to pale further, turning her skin ashy gray as she began to panic about people knowing about their relationship. "Savannah?"

"Savannah," Adri said in what had been dubbed her 'teacher tone', causing the brunette to focus on her immediately. "She meant she knew that I would be here."

The relief that painted the girl's face was nearly comic, had she not been able to guess at and understand why she had been panicking. Savannah sighed in relief, turning back to Mrs. Abbott.

"So, you knew? You're not mad?"

"Of course not. We understand perfectly well how nerve wracking it can be to care for a child, especially if it's your first time doing so. We're just glad Mrs. Jeepers was kind enough to give you a hand. I suppose you saw her number on the sheet I gave you?"

Well that explained why that phone number had been so familiar.

"Uh yeah, I did. Thanks for that, by the way."

"You're welcome. Now how was she?"

She told her about the crying fit, how nervous she was, and how that led to calling the redhead.

"Other than that she was an angel."

"Wonderful, I'm so glad you got things smoothed out," Mrs. Abbott said, removing twenty dollars from her purse.

She handed it to Savannah, who seemed shocked at the amount, before thanking her and taking her leave. Adri followed soon after, meeting her on the sidewalk and giving her a smirk.

"They knew?"

"In a way. I may have used some unconventional methods to convince them to allow me to help," she answered, her eyes flashing viridian in the low light of the street lamps.

"So you hypnotized them," Savannah deadpanned.

Adri gasped, pretending to be affronted.

"I did no such thing!" Savannah quirked an eyebrow, bringing a smile out of the woman. "Okay, so I may have influenced them a tiny bit."

Rolling her eyes but grinning, the girl reached out and lightly punched the woman in the shoulder.

"You are insane, you dork."

Adri looked at her with an overly innocent expression.

"But I'm your dork."

Savannah laughed, reaching over and drawing the giggling redhead to her side and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Yeah, you're right. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

They set off down the street hand in hand, the understanding that they would drop their belongings at the Clancy Estate before hunting going unspoken.

Ethan stood on the corner of Delaware Boulevard at precisely eight-fifty-nine glaring at his watch in anticipation. Just as he was about to howl in frustration, he heard rustling in the bushes behind him and turned to see four wolves of varying colors and sizes emerge. The largest one by far was stormy gray, amber eyes shining in excitement. Two others of medium size were both sandy brown in color, one possessing brown eyes and the other green. The last wolf was dove gray, nearly white, and had pitch black eyes. Though smaller than the others, Ethan knew that he'd be his biggest asset. He smirked before shifting into his own form, completing the gathering.

They formed a circle, Ethan at the head, and he began explaining what had been going on for the past year.

"As you know, there is a Vampire living here. That's bad enough, but what's worse, she's placed a spell on my daughter bewitching her into liking her." There were snarls of disapproval and anger. "My daughter actually believes she's in love with the monster."

"Impossible!" the larger gray wolf snarled. "We all know those creatures are incapable of love!"

"I know, Marcus," Ethan responded, the calmest he'd been all night. "But Savannah is young and only recently begun to shift. She's vulnerable, and that monster took advantage of it."

"So what are we going to do?" the sandy wolf with green eyes questioned.

"Yeah, we're gonna at least maim her right?" the other asked, his tone slightly insane.

"Isn't it obvious?" the silver wolf asked. "We're going to kill her, and make sure any others that may be around are aware of it."

Ethan nodded.

"Samuel is correct. I've dealt with this long enough, and we all know she shouldn't have survived this long." He turned to the two nearly identical wolves. "Collin and Jason, you two flank the sides, make a barrier so she can't escape. Marcus, you get behind her and push her inward. Samuel, you know what to do." He nodded. "I'll take point. We'll stalk her through the woods as she hunts, and then when I give the signal, two sharp howls, we ambush her."

"What about your daughter?" Samuel, ever practical, spoke up. "When we last spoke on the phone you told me she believed the demon was her Intended." Indignant and angry growls forced him to pause. "Will she be with her? If so, how should we detain her?"

"You are correct, but it shouldn't be a problem. Savannah took a babysitting job tonight and should still be engaged as this is taking place."

"Alright, but on the off chance she isn't?"

"Then you let me handle her," Ethan said, startling the others with the darkness of his tone.

"As you wish."

Samuel had seen a lot of things in his life, many unpleasant, thus he was not easily unsettled. However, the tone Ethan took when speaking of his child, that disturbed him, and he worried that if it came down to it his friend would kill her. He hoped for the girl's sake that she stayed far away from the woods.

As they drew nearer to Adri's house Savannah felt a wave of unease wash over her. She tensed, barely listening to her girlfriend chatter on about how anxious she was for the new school year to begin. She could feel eyes on them, what felt like multiple sets, and by the time they had reached the front door of the crumbling mansion she was practically bristling with agitation. Her eyes were nearly glowing, and she was straining to prevent herself from shifting. That was the last thing they needed, to reveal themselves if it was just some passersby, though something deep within told her she was right to feel so paranoid.

Adri noticed her unease as she slid her key into the lock, her own eyes flashing as she followed the girl's gaze across the street.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"Nothing, nothing. Go inside, I'll join you in a minute," Savannah replied, never once turning to face the redhead,

Slightly afraid, as she too felt there was something amiss, she did as she was told, able to tell that the brunette had gone into Guard mentality. That alone let her know that something was outside, what she didn't know, but she knew it couldn't be good if it had both of them on edge.

Savannah remained on the porch long enough to hone in on the bushes across the street, sharpening her sight and smell as she had learned to do without fully transforming. She couldn't see anything awry, though she was picking up on an unusual smell that set her on edge even more so than she already was. She growled quietly but menacingly, letting whatever was lurking in the bushes know that she was deadly and unafraid to take it on. Satisfied but still upset, she headed into the house, making sure to bolt the heavy lock behind her.

Ethan had snarled quietly when he caught sight of Savannah and Adrianna making their way down the street toward them. He'd thought she would be at the Abbott's until much later, but it appeared he was incorrect. That just served to create a problem for him, as he knew she'd fight them to protect the beast. He heard Jason nearly pounce out of the bushes as he too spotted them, but then a soft scuffle sounded and he knew the others had subdued him.

"Not yet!" he hissed, crouching lower to the ground as he noticed Savannah stiffen. "Everyone get back, she knows something's wrong!"

They backed up as a whole, waiting uneasily as she examined the area, even once looking directly at them. Luckily for them they had retreated so far that she couldn't clearly pick up on their individual scents without being in her wolf form, though Ethan knew tracking them would now prove more difficult. He waited until she had gone into the house before venturing forth, directing the group to fan out and watch the house from all sides. He himself took position just inside the border of the woods, eyes on the ancient back door as he waited for them to emerge.

Luckily for him, he didn't have to wait very long. As soon as the two disappeared into the woods to his left and had a decent lead he started after them, knowing that the rest of his friends would know to follow and meet up with him.

Savannah hadn't truly wanted to go back out, but what could she do? Adri was hungry, and she couldn't very well keep her from eating lest she make her sick. So before they left she warned the woman to stay close, and to always remain in front of her. She had agreed, appearing a little shaken, but Savannah knew that if push came to shove and they were somehow separated Adri could defend herself until she found her. Not that she thought the woman wasn't powerful enough to hold her own in a fight, she just had a feeling that whatever was lurking outside was more than one person could handle alone.

She shifted before they left the safety of the house, feeling more than ever the weight of the tag on her chest. As they headed through the woods her anxiety grew, the feeling that something wasn't right enveloping her to the point that she nearly turned them around, only barely holding back because she knew that they'd never make it. So she trailed Adri closer than she normally would have, her keen hearing picking up on the sounds of twigs snapping all around them, knowing that Adri could most likely hear it, too.

Adrianna for her part was nervous, that she wouldn't deny. If whatever was following them was enough to make Savannah remain two paces behind her then she knew they were truly in danger. True, she could definitely fight if the need arose, but she wasn't built as a fighter, not with her slim figure and slight weight. And the fact that rustling surrounded them told her that there was more than one creature trailing them, and that spelled trouble. She could smell them, barely, but she thought they were wolves, and if that was the case they might not make it out of the woods alive. She just wondered if Savannah had realized that yet.

They came upon a clearing after about thirty minutes of fruitless hunting, and they stopped to rest, the hike taking a toll on Adri since it had been a while since she'd last fed. She sat against a tree, straining her hearing for any signs of the deer that were usually plentiful. She heard nothing, a strange stillness settling over the forest that seemed deafening and signalled danger. Savannah felt it too, and crouched in front of her, snarling quietly, eyes sweeping over the tree line. For a split second she caught sight of amber eyes glaring out at her, and then chaos erupted around them.

…..

Ethan knew, as soon as they stopped, that it was time. He could feel his pulse speed up, knew the others could feel the tension in the air just as he could, and when he saw his daughter stare into the treeline directly at Marcus and snarl, well, he knew they couldn't wait any longer. He howled the signal and they moved as one, forming a half circle in front of the two.

He watched in satisfaction as the Vampire's eyes widened and her face paled, obviously not expecting so many of them. Savannah, to her credit, never backed down, merely puffed up her fur and growled louder, the sound an obvious warning. He didn't care. He knew he could easily take her down, and after that nothing prevented the five of them from ripping the redheaded demon to shreds.

…..

Two short howls erupted into the air, breaking the stillness, and Savannah had just enough time to widen her eyes before she was faced with five snarling wolves, all bigger than her. She didn't allow that phase her, merely growling more deeply in her chest and fluffing herself up. It took her a moment, focused as she was on keeping Adri safe, to notice that the leader of the little pack was her father. In her shock, the growl cut off in her throat, her legs nearly giving out from under her. She had never, in a million years, expected this from her father, though she knew he hated the woman behind her.

"Daddy," she whispered, the word conveying just how broken she was at his betrayal.

She felt Adri tense up behind her as she slid into a standing position, and she knew she was piecing everything together.

"Savannah," Ethan responded, his tone cold but neutral.

"Why?" she asked, tears springing to her eyes.

"Because she's a monster. She doesn't deserve to exist, none of her kind do." He took a deep breath, visibly trying to reign in his anger. When he next spoke it was calm, the tone robotic and the words rehearsed. "Come here, and forget this whole thing. Or better yet go home, deny you ever saw us."

She shook her head, taking a step away from him.

"No, I love her, and if need be I'll die for her."

"Savannah!" Ethan snapped, "You don't know what you're doing! She's hypnotized you, made you believe these things!"

"No she hasn't. Adrianna is the most beautiful person, inside and out, that I've ever known." She felt anger beginning to curl in her belly, the coils tight."And if you can't accept that then I want nothing more to do with you."

"You don't understand what you're saying," her father growled.

"Yes I do."

"So be it," he whispered, taking the first step.

Savannah growled, her ears flattening against her skull.

…..

As soon as five Shifters sprang into the clearing, Adri knew they were fucked. There was no way they could win if they were so unevenly matched, but she was determined to try. She slowly gripped the tree trunk and slid into a standing position, her eyes sweeping the group and locking on Savannah and a cinnamon brown wolf who appeared to be having a conversation. Something stirred in the recesses of her mind, pointing out to her that this was no ordinary Shifter. She was forced to abandon the thought when it advanced, causing Savannah to begin to exude power.

She pushed her fear to the back of her mind. If they were going to fight she needed to focus, no matter how badly the anxiety clawed at her back. She accessed her own magic, feeling it wrap around her in a comforting embrace. Whenever they attacked, she'd be ready.

…..

"Do not come any closer," Savannah snarled, her voice gaining an echo. He took another step, and her eyes began to glow. "I will destroy you," she said, allowing her inner Guard to fully take over.

"We'll see," Ethan said with a smirk.

Before she could blink he was on top of her, biting, clawing, tearing. She yelped, shocked at the sudden attack, before rage filled her and caused her to snap back, luck allowing her to catch his ear. She ripped, feeling blood splatter her face and flesh come away within her teeth. He yipped, apparently just as surprised as she was that she would harm him. Taking advantage of his sudden break of concentration, she kicked outward, sending him flying.

She pushed herself to her feet, ignoring the bite marks on her shoulders, and turned to locate her girlfriend. She froze as she caught sight of her, the mere power she was exuding stunning. She could feel the magic thicken the air as Adri used it to strengthen her blows and deepen her slashes, sending the two identical wolves tumbling to the ground. Her eyes glowed a vibrant green, no longer cat-like but otherworldly, and her usual grace was amplified tenfold. She threw a large gray wolf several feet away with the ease of throwing a ball, and for the first time Savannah saw her true power, saw how dangerous she could truly be.

She was about to join the fray when she noticed a slightly smaller and lighter gray wolf circling behind the woman, but before she could attack she found herself flying through the air and colliding with a tree trunk. She saw stars, the world blurring around her, only to come back to herself when razor sharp fangs dug into her right shoulder and ripped downward. She howled in pain, feeling the attacker release and move back, most likely deciding on another point of attack. She tried to get up, to move, to get away, but the sharp burning pain of what was most likely a torn muscle sent her crashing back to earth. She landed heavily on her belly, whimpering quietly, and felt her attacker hesitate.

She turned her head, unsurprised to see her father. He looked torn, but she knew that if he'd already injured her so severely he wouldn't stop until she was dead or dying. Adri's cry of pain drew her attention, and sent her scrambling to her feet, shoulder pain forgotten. The silver wolf she'd seen earlier had jumped on her from the back, teeth latching into the space between her shoulder blades. She was struggling under his weight, not to mention having to keep the other three away as she tried to dislodge him. She glanced at her father out of the corner of her eye, seeing him shake his head and crouch in preparation for a jump. She waited until the last second before springing out of the way, causing him to collide head-on with the tree and knocking him out cold. She hoped he'd remain that way for a while.

Forcing herself up, she ignored the pain as the sound of her love's screams rang in her ears. She saw red, propelling herself through the air with strength she was unaware she possessed. She slammed into the silver wolf, sinking her teeth into the back of his neck without a second thought. He yelped, thus releasing his hold on Adri's back. She stumbled forward, blood running down her back from the holes, and fell to her knees.

The other three wolves jumped forward as one, and Savannah just had time to glimpse fire red hair disappear beneath three large bodies. An emotion more wild than anger and rooted deeper than rage burst forth, and she lost control. She was no longer a human girl turned wolf, she was first and foremost an animal, a beast, a monster that was protecting her mate, her other half. She unclamped her jaw, prepared for the immediate slash of fangs across her muzzle, but she didn't feel it. Her blue eyes were slowly turning red from the pupil outward to the edge of the iris.

When she turned her head back to face the elder male, he felt control on his bladder slip, for he had never in all his years seen such a terrifying sight as Savannah in that instant. She no longer looked of the earth, but of another realm entirely. He whimpered nearly silently before he glimpsed a flash of white and suddenly he saw the world stained red. In that instant, just before the pain and realization that he had just lost an eye hit, he knew with utmost certainty that they were going to lose.

Savannah spat out the blood that tainted her mouth, lowering her head and headbutting her opponent off his feet. The sounds of battle met her ears, yelps and whimpers intermingled with gasps and screams, and she knew that Adri wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. She tread to where the older male lay, panting and whimpering, on his back, and struck.

The whole clearing was silenced by Samuel's keening death cry, and the three other males watched, shocked, as the lithe female literally tore him apart.

Flesh, Savannah mused as she ripped open the wolf's chest cavity and stomach, tore much like paper. Dimly, she noticed the sudden silence behind her as she sank her teeth into his vital organs, shredding them like confetti, pulling them from his body, and tossing them like streamers over her shoulder. Blood and bits of flesh coated her muzzle and chest, and she desperately tried to ignore how euphoric it felt to absolutely destroy someone who dared to harm her beloved. It was over in mere seconds, though to the onlookers it felt like hours.

The spell was broken when Jason lunged forward, biting down hard on her left hind leg, the crunch of bone echoing through the clearing. She howled, the sound sharp and tinged with agony, and as if in slow motion the war resumed. Marcus and Collin pounced on Adri, their attacks twice as brutal. Savannah turned, snarling, to face Jason, who, despite his slight insanity, realized he'd made a grave and fatal mistake. She leapt at him, forcing him to stumble over his own paws as he yipped and tried desperately to back away.

Her teeth caught his tail and clamped down, ripping through muscle and shattering bone. He howled, freezing in his retreat. She let go while he was still dazed, jumping on his back and slashing her fangs down the length of it. Her hearing, honed as it was, picked up the sound of muscles popping from bone, blood vessels ripping apart, vital fluid leaking and splattering the ground. She ripped again and again, reveling in his growls and howls of pain, before finally taking mercy and severing his spinal cord. He collapsed underneath her, his legs giving out, and she calmly stepped off him as though he was merely a doormat.

She then turned her attention to the two who were still attacking Adri, who was covered in blood, a mixture of her own and theirs. Savannah watched for a moment, noticing all the subtle signs that her girlfriend was badly hurt. Her movements were a hair slower than they normally would be, though still inhumanly quick, and one of her shoulders was raised slightly above the other, a sure indicator that it was dislocated. Blood dribbled from various cuts and gashes, though she was mostly concerned about the holes in her back and a large wound on her side that was dying the dark purple fabric of her shirt red.

Though she had to admit, her girlfriend gave as good as she got. The other two wolves also sported various lacerations and bite marks, chunks of fur missing here and there where the older woman had used it to anchor herself as they tossed her around. She'd say the odds were roughly the same as to who would fall first, but she was going to make absolutely certain it wasn't Adri.

Sizing up the two remaining wolves, she decided the light brown male was the easiest target, and after that taking down the larger gray wolf would be easy for the two of them. She sprang, catching the male by the throat in mid-air, careful not to puncture his windpipe to ensure his suffering. He went rigid, momentarily shocked by the interference, but soon enough she felt claws tearing into her underbelly, her skin splitting like seams. They landed with her on top, but that quickly changed as he fought for dominance. He pushed her off, resulting in tears in his throat, though they weren't terribly deep due to her loose grip.

Savannah landed heavily on her left side, feeling her already broken leg take on more damage and a few ribs crack. She huffed, too focused to cry out, and forced herself up yet again. Before she was steady Collin was on top of her, teeth flashing and snapping, flesh ripping and bones breaking. She found herself pinned, and for a moment felt a pinprick of fear before noticing that from her angle she had nearly perfect access to his throat. She struggled under his weight, shifting him enough so that she was able to raise her head and close her jaws around his neck, snapping down and feeling her canines puncture his windpipe. She released and lay back, waiting for the inevitable.

Collin froze as his air supply abruptly cut off, leaving him spluttering and attempting to breathe through a mangled airway that was rapidly filling with blood. He stumbled away, Savannah taking a proper breath once his weight was no longer crushing her frame. She sat up, watching him slowly suffocate and choke on his own blood, small shivers of pleasure running down her frame.

She was in pain now, agony if she was being completely honest, the pure adrenaline and rage no longer able to completely mask her injuries. It took her longer than she would have liked to force herself to her feet, her broken leg shaking at having her full weight once again forced on it. Blood poured down her body, most of it her own, lacerations and gashes gushing the liquid like water. Just as she was about to attend to Adri, who was barely able to defend herself, she caught a flicker of movement from her the corner of her eye.

…..

The world was fuzzy as Ethan regained consciousness, and he shook his head in the hope of dispelling the fog and clearing his vision. Once he could see clearly he felt his heart skip a beat at the carnage that surrounded him. Three of his friends were dead, one badly injured, and there was blood everywhere. His eyes landed on the redhead that was somehow still standing, and on his daughter with her teeth stained red and blood running from her fur to pool at her feet. She looked simultaneously enraged and pained, but despite the latter he could feel the power rolling off her in waves.

He pushed himself to his feet shakily, his head spinning after the impact with the tree, and saw a blur of black as his daughter's head whipped to face him.

…..

Savannah growled quietly as she saw her father rise from the ground. She debated attacking first this time, going on the offensive before he could comprehend she was there, but a cry of pain rang from Adri's lips, this one sharper than the others and lasting just a fraction of a second longer. She whipped her head around, eyes widening as blood sprayed from a wound in the juncture of the woman's neck, a little too close to her major veins for her liking. She collapsed, and the wolf she had yet to kill prepared the killing blow. His muscles tensed, rippling with energy as he propelled off the ground, and she was in motion, flying through the air faster than she could comprehend as she slammed into him, burying her teeth deep in his shoulder.

…..

Ethan smirked as best he could as he heard the monster let out a cry of agony before falling to the ground, Marcus immediately jumping on top of her to finish her off. He never landed the killing blow.

Savannah was on top of him so fast it was like watching a snake strike, and before any of them realized what was happening she had ripped a chunk out of his shoulder, the hunk of flesh soaring across the clearing and splattering him with blood. She didn't let up, continuing to rip him apart where he stood, his howls of agony reaching a higher pitch with every strike. He twisted and turned, trying to dislodge her from himself, but she wouldn't let go, merciless in her attack. Blood sprayed everywhere, staining the forest floor an even darker shade of brown.

Ethan dared to creep closer, half horrified and half mystified as he watched a Guard work. Light panting caught his attention, and he noticed the Vampire sprawled on the ground, critically injured, and he realized with an unmeasurable amount of glee that he could finish her off. He approached, careful to keep his steps silent else he alert his daughter and have her turn on him.

…..

Adri looked up as she sensed another approach, blood running into her eyes and obscuring her vision. The fight had been hard on her, and she was in immense pain, no to mention fairly certain she wouldn't be getting up again. Forest green eyes stared down at her, cold and hard, loathing easily visible in the orbs. The wolf's muzzle curled upward in a silent snarl, and she closed her eyes and heaved a quiet sigh of defeat.

She could still hear Savannah fighting the larger wolf a few feet away and knew she couldn't possibly get to her in time should this new wolf decide to attack which, judging by the level of hatred aimed at her, would only be a matter of time. A tear slipped down her face, blood and dirt mixing with the salty water and creating a trail down her cheek. She couldn't bear to face her death head-on and look the Grim Reaper in the face.

The air around her shifted as the wolf tensed and prepared to kill, and she held her breath, waiting for the inevitable.

Only the inevitable never came.

…..

Savannah didn't need to be facing her father to know what he was about to do. She felt the defeat from her girlfriend crash over her like an avalanche and that was enough to have her whirling around and snarling, the sound more menacing than it had been on the long ago night when she'd killed the tracker that had been planning to rape the older woman. She lashed out, teeth clamping on her father's hind leg as she jerked her head to the side, the satisfying sound of the bone popping out of joint meeting her ears. He spun, his leg nearly giving out, and snapped back in retaliation.

She merely swung out with her foreleg, her paw catching him in the jaw and knocking him away, basically back handing him. She used his disorientation to circle around him and stand protectively in front of Adri. He turned to face her, a few teeth missing from the force of her strike.

"You will not touch her," she snarled.

"I will kill her," he answered, leaping forward.

She took his hit head-on, though she angled so that when they fell they'd miss her girlfriend. They tumbled, each battling for dominance. Ethan ended up on top, using his greater weight to pin her on her back, his face looming inches above her own. Savannah didn't hesitate before darting forward biting him on the muzzle, her teeth shredding the sensitive skin and sending him into pained howls. The bone crunched in her grip, though she wasn't satisfied until his blood ran in rivers down his neck. Only then did she release him.

He retaliated by sinking his own teeth into her already maimed belly, deliberately puncturing her vital organs and dealing deadly wounds. She howled, feeling her life beginning to slip from her grasp. Bringing her hind legs up she managed to force him off, regaining her footing as quickly as she could to prevent further damage. She leapt forward before he could recover, teeth and claws slashing without care. She knocked him back, fur flying and growls filling the air. Ethan fought back, though he could slowly feel his strength waning.

A particularly hard kick had him slamming into the ground and sliding, rocks inflicting more damage to his already mutilated body. He lay panting, trying to find the strength to force himself back to his feet but unable to. Savannah approached, lips drawn back in a snarl. With no reluctance to be seen she slit him open from groin to throat, not only slicing him open but actually ripping off a strip of flesh to do so. Her eyes met his as he felt himself beginning to slip. There was none of the love he remembered from when she was a child, no adoration, only merciless calculated hatred.

As if in slow motion she leaned forward, her teeth sinking into his throat before she jerked her head away, taking the majority of his neck with it. Blood gushed forth in a torrent, and even though he knew he was dying he still attempted to breathe, only succeeding in sucking blood into his lungs, thus prolonging his suffering.

Savannah watched as his life giving ichor flowed freely, no remorse to be felt, though she was sure that would come later after she was back in her right mind. As the last bit of life drained from her father's eyes and they glossed over her gaze slid to the one wolf remaining, though if his short raspy pants were any indicator he wouldn't last much longer. Adrenaline waning, she limped over to him, rolling him onto his side before leaning all her weight on his head and snapping his neck. The world quickly going blurry and her vision going black around the edges, she drug herself over to Adri, who had finally passed out from the sheer amount of pain she was in. She collapsed on her right side beside her, allowing the darkness to take her.

The forest remained silent, the smell of copper heavy in the air, and the aura of death lingering and tinging the world black.

Translation: Hush, little one. It's alright, it's alright. I've got you. That's it, calm down.

The song was "Lavender's Blue (Dilly Dilly)"